Ocean Sailing Academy

About

Ocean Sailing Academy is a US Sailing Accredited sailing school located in Charleston, South Carolina. US Sailing is the national governing body for the sport of sailing and the organization prides itself on its high caliber and consistent quality of its sail training. Ocean Sailing Academy was first accredited 15 years ago and the level of instruction has remained top notch, continually delivering an excellent sailing educational experience.

We have a wonderful core of instructors as well as an outstanding playground in which to learn sailing. Charleston Harbor is an excellent sailing venue that offers a full complement of challenges, glories and rewards.

Charleston Harbor and the surrounding area provide a myriad of learning opportunities to build your sailing confidence slowly and safely. Ocean Sailing Academy instructors can provide this guided experience and help prepare you for your own self-sufficient sailing adventure.

We have a wonderful core group of instructors as well as an outstanding playground in which to learn sailing. Charleston Harbor is an excellent sailing venue that offers a full complement of challenges, glories and rewards. Just to name a few:

The commercial shipping traffic through one of the eastern seaboard's busiest ports not only engages the "Rules of the Road" regularly but also provides a cornucopia of navigational aids to decipher.

Forts galore, with a cannon pointed at you through nearly every tack.

The dolphins and shrimp boats earn their living from the bounty of the sea that pours from the lowcountry marsh estuary.

The surrounding pluff mud shallows offer their version of Southern hospitality in the event of a "soft" grounding.

Sub-tropical weather that provides steady afternoon sea breezes in the summer and the fair wind, fringe edge of most frontal systems through the "off season".

The steeple-studded skyline of America's #1 city to visit.

All this and more makes Charleston Harbor a stunning and smart setting to learn to sail.

As you can tell there is plenty to take in, but this is just inside the harbor. Once we clear the jetties and enter the ocean, we leave the estuary, its tidal currents and traffic behind but the subtle power of the lowcountry recedes only slightly as its shallow brown-brackish water can be seen-and felt by the keel to an unwary navigator-miles out to sea. Similar rivers offer safe refuge every 10-20 along the coast and are popular cruising grounds. We learn to navigate these challenging inlets in our upper level overnight coastal classes.